A less-invasive procedure may help people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Hospitals are testing new procedures to help patients with a devastating lung disease breathe easier without major surgery.

More than 15 million people have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Millions more may be unaware they have it. The disease is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., after heart disease and cancer. COPD costs...